New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-15
spa RKS FINDS FRA I'd ETERTWHERE.
HIS ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SECRETARY.



C!.EEks TO HELP HIM IN His GOOD WORK.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 1I.-COImmissioncr SPARKS, OF the
General Llnl Office, in rs annual report to the
Secretary OF the Interior that he has no word 10
recall that has hitherto been uttered touching the
aggravated Interpretations to which public I'hls
have been subjected through inprovidcnt laws ana IN
efficient methods Of administration, and To which thcy
still exposed under the present wascful aud fraud
inspiring systems of disposal The operations of the last
year. previously have been conducted unier the aus
of inadequate appropriations but with tue
limited means at his disposal he says results have been
achieved that confirm the early statements of the vast
of this field of reform the confines only OF wh;h
have yet been fairly explored
Tho report shows that since March t. lsSJ 81 s2ilsl
have been restored 20 the pnblic domain inc
sales entries AMI selections Of public land for the Sca
year ended Juie 30. ls- embrace 251 100 acres ana
of Indian Lands 1861 acres, making total OF
O5> being increase the year lNS6
of 3.733 ~ The receipt. the disposaS OF
public lands are SOS SOL from sales Of In Ian
lands, 1902; total of - 2.2G~22i bcn; an IN
crease as compared with tho year l~~6 Of S32i712'
to which is to he adlcl .29l received account OF
timber dcpclat and S2193 received for ccrtihe"
copies of records furnished 10y the General Land Once
Here follows a statement Of the progress of the PpHc
surveys in several puhc land states aud Territories
In surveys have been made curing the YEAR
Touching the character OF surveys heretofore returned III
ths Territory. the surveyor General says:
Il conceded and susceptible o. proof that there arc
hardly any existing evidence of the work cXcoucI -
late "a lSNj Evidence j. ac'ImuiI.ing IN tl ohcc
that the survey Of large ni1cN oi land about clsniy
niles IN width and ABOUT 100 miles III lcnSih h'tc
unlcr the deposit system for the Atlantic AMI IacIhc
Ral'oad. has been cIrcrs,y done IL not crilnhlF III
stigdtcL II has been n"i"r'i 'f com nrhirl upon ~
settlers this tract during the Last year that the "'l,r
ing places are almost entirely on the Er"'l scr 'p'
glance at IN" map"I TINS survey VIII ,A'W . ,
lively that II tins l. the case thcJ were placed thric ~
system OF Illegal contraction or expansion 10y the
deputies.
The report briefly reviews The work OF the surveyors
General OF Arizona California ami NcwMcNico III exam
ming private lana claims. Ahou' forty claims IN New
Mexico examined AMI I'm nearly every instance ihr
Surveyor General recommends the rejection Of the
claim principally Oh ~" ground of fraud or nol c"mph
with the law. Many found To cover areas sew
eral times O., large 20, that 81 the original grant.
Ia DISCUSSING the swamp land grants the Commissioner
saws that claims under these grants have ALREADY
re'chei me enormous amount oi hc'H tt',-,o,ri,,
acrcs, AMI That patents nave been issued Tor h1h,S
3d. 600 acres. During the ia year. says tl' '"l-
missioner, swamp land claims have been made the SUD
lrct "i tN"i"h,h INV -'l- ION In, M 80 ,j,,
he ssys. have demonstrated the fact iha, many o. 'h'h
friIinlcut
On the subject OF the forfeiture OF railroad Land grants
tie Commissioner quotes from AZ i'i ahnut l'p'I'
be !ccltci u tl ia which Tine road, were NOT com
pirci within the time and ia The manner conditioned III
ct fraudulent land entries. the COMMISSIONER says that
tie Investigations of %" ia'i >c" nave bon ','i-.'
tory. ant that u no previous year has -ur '"''l'r
work been done. ~ % result 2.jl2 entries. GOVERN;
ah,ut y-n ono arr.. vrr, held for cancellation. and
lbs entities. covering about 100000 acres, were can
cclei for fraud Bis subject i"e COMM P"''''
AT some icneth. lie says.
such record of crime as that shown by iuvcstiga-
tons made h., special agents dulin- tie '-i u.s." years j.
ra,cig 4, b.. found Bold reckless and gigantic scheme.
To- rob the Government ~ H. lands have been discovered
and exposed state ana l'lii'NIN confirming
pui Dc iaul. ami think can truihfuIy say pa every
land .,i.fr,i and county which special agent has sl7
icd Systematic ch0 r. % u~lcid AMI c'rrnlh rhliY-
men ga order tlat they might become iu-uum,ni- ID r
ffauIing Tire Government. nave boon rc-oitc' TO- Men
OF intelligence and high standing Do r., '"ii" n.y. lH
many instance, millionaire. were The "lcr' IN me
unlawful transactions. over 1000 cases nave been dl'
covered wherein IciIHt OF ,n -. ~ !, f~e
committed In majority OF cl'cS me ",.o,' nr'"y
whom the proofs other papers were cNccnt"l Ift'y
STATE and Territorial officers. not directly fc,'n.lhc 10
tine Land Department We're '"IhDi' ~ , ti.'t'
could have become 80 Dos or 4inaH "iilSru,'. ..r'
ion d area fraudulent cnui-- is grldily ncc"ning
clioum-ciinr there sin remains nnch =" no. an ,l1
80 ' ., .r. -, mn and tii. mean, provided Tor
amino case. are now the r.c- oi this office ia "uich
Iri been .ir.cl hy aiida,ii or nformttion or in
which c,i !ouc,- OF fraud are iud Gated
one Thousand aul eleven ca-c- oi lumber tri'ioi-
Of timber tr-P,,- have been rrporied on during ne
wear involving a value n timber and product lhcrciroh
amounting 20 Sol 1920. I'll" amount "cl'd'N TOY
cred during tie year tnrou-h Judgments i"es etc. i
ON The subject Of reform in the pubic Lad laws ia"
al efforts 10 secure reform i'm The Land laws hy re-
peal amendments OF particular "'l~ .l" prov sun
ancc vita prouo-cd legislation. ! "'n satisfied tGt
amendments ~ dctil are in"1'u',h.' ne n', '|
nukclinc has pn.-rd. I,i-tiur -y-icm- "i d~l"-''
tnn nrui.'Ily detective Tn the orrna instance. have
become wholly 'ffiti t. present tnirtll"i~ wa" -
rcdr u nv oYuiou D.. an entire Reformation "i exist
in. laws retaining absolute homestead US ai "','
.iinr an nncr ~ 90 po-ti Of a-rlriuill ''H
Actual residence. improvement ana chitlt alton "I 'H"
homestead period Of I'VE years sn"uld h' ~" 'N,'''''
condition OF acquirug little 90 stc LAMBS. u ""ni "'
app,r that the Time has arrived when the puNlr-c q"
anropriaiiu. plhc Lands should bee '0nnrl 70 'lu<'"'
of trc United states 49,,
TIE Commissioner iu bis estimates Tor the No VI ''
wear asks for AN Increase of forit finc permanent ''N'
and cluul,tc4 and - temporary clerks. ~ hIlh- "P
work iu arrears aud provide for tnc Adjustment "'
railroad grants. Indian alloincuis etc Ih4 , l''''
..rN- ll. ID L lis
whole volume Of WORK tu be -prc ly brought up hu
Kept mp Ia current demands.